Freezing device and a method using the same

Abstract

The disclosure provides a freezing device for freezing a liquid mixture and a method using the same. The freezing device includes a container and a tray removably disposed in the container. The tray has a tray plate disposed above a container bottom wall and has a plurality of spaced-apart receptacles for receiving the liquid mixture. When liquid nitrogen is introduced into a region between the tray plate and a container bottom wall, the liquid mixture received in the receptacles is solidified by the liquid nitrogen and is formed into shaped solid coolant pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A freezing device for freezing a liquid mixture to produce a shaped solid coolant piece, comprising:
 a container defining a receiving space which opens upward and having a container bottom wall underlying said receiving space; and   a tray removably disposed in said receiving space and having a tray plate situated above said container bottom wall in a spaced apart manner, said tray plate having an upper panel part, and a plurality of spaced-apart receptacles for receiving the liquid mixture, said upper panel part interconnecting said receptacles and isolating interior spaces of said receptacles from a bottom region of said receiving space between said tray plate and said container bottom wall;   wherein, when liquid nitrogen is introduced into said bottom region between said tray plate and said container bottom wall, the liquid mixture received in said receptacles is solidified by heat absorption and vaporization of the liquid nitrogen received in said bottom region of said receiving space.   
     
     
         2 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said tray further has a tray surrounding wall extending upwardly from and looping along an outer periphery of said upper panel part of said tray plate and surrounding said receptacles. 
     
     
         3 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein:
 said tray further has a plurality of hanging hooks connected to said tray surrounding wall; and   said hanging hooks are removably connected to a top end of said container so that said tray is hung in said receiving space.   
     
     
         4 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 said container further has a container surrounding wall extending upwardly from said container bottom wall and surrounding said tray surrounding wall,   and a plurality of insertion holes opening at a top end of said container surrounding wall and formed outside of said receiving space; and   said hanging hooks of said tray are respectively and removably inserted into said insertion holes so that said tray is hung on said container surrounding wall.   
     
     
         5 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said container surrounding wall has an outer surface, and a plurality of hollow members formed on said outer surface and respectively defining said insertion holes. 
     
     
         6 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said container further has a container surrounding wall extending upwardly from said container bottom wall and surrounding said tray surrounding wall, said container surrounding wall and said tray surrounding wall defining therebetween at least one passageway for passage of liquid or gaseous nitrogen, said at least one passageway opening at the top end of said container and communicating with said bottom region of said receiving space between said upper panel part of said tray plate and said container bottom wall. 
     
     
         7 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said upper panel part of said tray plate has at least one indenting part in said outer periphery, said tray surrounding wall having at least one indenting part, said indenting parts of said upper panel part and said tray surrounding wall indenting inwardly to extend away from said container surrounding wall so that said at least one passageway is formed between said tray surrounding wall and said container surrounding wall. 
     
     
         8 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said container is made of a thermal insulation material. 
     
     
         9 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said container is made of a silicone rubber, and said tray is made of a stainless steel. 
     
     
         10 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said container further has a reinforcement member embedded in an upper portion of said container surrounding wall of said container to maintain a shape of said container, said reinforcement member looping around said receiving space. 
     
     
         11 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said upper panel part of said tray plate is lower than said top end of said container surrounding wall so that said tray can be immersed in the liquid nitrogen received in said bottom region of said receiving space between said upper panel part of said tray plate and said container bottom wall. 
     
     
         12 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upper panel part has a top surface and a bottom surface, said receptacles opening at said top surface and protruding downward from said bottom surface. 
     
     
         13 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said hanging hooks are disposed on two sides of said tray surrounding wall which are opposite along one of a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction of said tray. 
     
     
         14 . The freezing device as claimed in  13 , wherein each of said hanging hooks protrudes sideward from a top end of said tray surrounding wall, passes through said top end of said container surrounding wall and then extends downward to enter a respective one of said insertion holes. 
     
     
         15 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a top cover removably disposed on a top end of said container to cover said receiving space of said container. 
     
     
         16 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said top cover has a plurality of through holes respectively aligned with said hanging hooks. 
     
     
         17 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of probes respectively and removably disposed in said receptacles in an upright manner. 
     
     
         18 . The freezing device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a thickness of each of said receptacles is not smaller than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The freezing device as claimed in  1 , wherein each of said receptacles is configured to receive an ethanol water mixture. 
     
     
         20 . A method of freezing a liquid mixture to produce a shaped solid coolant piece, comprising:
 providing a container defining a receiving space which opens upward, and having a container bottom wall underlying the receiving space;   positioning a tray in the receiving space, the tray having a tray plate situated above the container bottom wall in a spaced apart manner, and having a plurality of spaced apart receptacles;   filling the receptacles with a liquid mixture; and   introducing liquid nitrogen into a bottom region of the receiving space between the tray plate and the container bottom wall until the liquid nitrogen contacts the receptacles, thereby solidifying the liquid mixture.